Top Rank has signed veteran light heavyweight contender Maxim Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs) to a long-term promotional agreement. Vlasov, a 33-year-old boxer-puncher from Samara, Russia, has won regional titles at super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
He will return this summer against countryman Umar Salamov as part of the four-man WBO light heavyweight tournament, which will determine a new world champion. Joe Smith Jr. and former light heavyweight world champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez will face off in the other WBO semifinal.
With Vlasov’s signing, all four men in the tournament have promotional ties to Top Rank.
I hope it’s worth it to Ramirez to get out of his contract with Top Rank because if/when he does he’s probably going to have to deal with them in some way or another if he wants more than 1 or 2 big fights at LHW.